How to manage the large flowered cattleya after blooming
The editor will answer how to manage and cultivate the large flowered cattleya after blooming and introduce the green plant flowers, and then the editor of this site will introduce to everyone.
The large flowered cattleya, also known as Simbiラン or蝉兰, is a very popular variety among orchid plants. Its plants are tall and majestic, with elegant green leaves, and the long flower stems will slightly droop after being filled with flower buds. True to its name, the flowers of the large flowered cattleya are large, graceful in posture, and rich in bright colors, making them highly ornamental.
Every year during the Chinese New Year period, a large number of potted large flowered cattleyas are sold on the market, and they are very popular among people. However, after the New Year, many people throw away thewithered large flowered cattleyas in the trash, which is a bit wasteful. In fact, the large flowered cattleya is a very easy-to-care-for orchid variety. By following five tips, you can keep it in good condition and make it bloom every year.
1. Pruning and repotting
Large flowered cattleyas sold during the New Year period will have all the flowers on the flower spike withered by around March. First, use scissors to cut off the entire flower spike to prevent the remaining flowers from consuming the plant's nutrients. Stop watering 4-5 days in advance to let the potting mix in the pot become relatively dry, which makes it easier to remove the plant from the pot.
Prepare some orchid-specific potting mix in advance. (Generally, the potting mix will already have branches added. If no potting mix has been added, you will also need to place some orchid-specific fertilizer in the mix.) Remove the original pot of the large flowered cattleya, and sometimes it may be difficult to remove the pot due to tightly wrapped roots. In such cases, you may need to break or cut open the original plastic pot.
How to manage the large flowered cattleya after blooming
Before repotting the large flowered cattleya, remove some of the potting mix from the roots to loosen them. If the roots are too tightly wrapped, soak them in water for a few minutes to make it easier to loosen them. After removing the surface potting mix, check the overall condition of the roots. If there are any problematic roots such as empty roots, rotting roots, or roots bitten by insects, cut them off promptly.
Use a new pot slightly larger than the original one. Plant the large flowered cattleya with pruned roots into the new pot. Water thoroughly and place the pot in a location with sufficient diffused light and good ventilation. After 10-15 days of care, the large flowered cattleya will adapt to the new environment and can return to normal care.
2. Fertilizing
When caring for large flowered cattleyas, it is important to fertilize according to different seasons. Spring is the peak growing season for large flowered cattleyas, and it is necessary to apply orchid fertilizer to the plants once every 1-2 months. It is not suitable to fertilize the cattleya in summer when temperatures are too high or in winter when temperatures are too low. In autumn, as the large flowered cattleya begins to develop flower buds, not only should orchid solid fertilizer be used once every 1-2 months, but also additional flowering fertilizers should be applied to help the flower buds grow.